This Christmas, we’re serving up holiday platters for the many moods and sonic flavors of the season. We get down to some very merry Chicano rockabilly from Los Straitjackets; gather around the fire with French fiddlers in snowy Maine; imbibe “Sugar Rum Cherry” concocted by Duke Ellington; dream of a white Christmas a laBooker T. & the MGs, and hear the tale of Miles Davis‘ “Blue X-mas” from jazz composer Bob Dorough. Plus, cool Yuletide exotica from Esquivel, joyous free jazz from Rahsaan Roland Kirk and ring shouting for a New Year from the Georgia Sea Island Singers.

HUGH MASEKELA & JOSHUA ALLEN

October 1st, 2008

Hugh Masekela sets the record straight on “township bop,” playing Satchmo’s horn, and how he ended up with a million-selling hit that made the South African trumpeter and jazzman a rock star. Also, join Nick as he visits with Virginia-based Joshua Allen, who demonstrates the ox horn flute.